Open AccessFemtosecond imaging of nonlinear acoustics in gold
Author(s) -
Thomas Pézeril,
Christoph Klieber,
Viktor Shalagatskyi,
G. Vaudel,
Vasily V. Temnov,
Oliver G. Schmidt,
Denys Makarov
Publication year - 2014
Publication title -
optics express
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 1.394
H-Index - 271
ISSN - 1094-4087
DOI - 10.1364/oe.22.004590
Subject(s) - femtosecond , optics , laser , ultrashort pulse , picosecond , materials science , amplifier , optoelectronics , physics , cmos
We have developed a high-sensitivity, low-noise femtosecond imaging technique based on pump-probe time-resolved measurements with a standard CCD camera. The approach used in the experiment is based on lock-in acquisitions of images generated by a femtosecond laser probe synchronized to modulation of a femtosecond laser pump at the same rate. This technique allows time-resolved imaging of laser-excited phenomena with femtosecond time resolution. We illustrate the technique by time-resolved imaging of the nonlinear reshaping of a laser-excited picosecond acoustic pulse after propagation through a thin gold layer. Image analysis reveals the direct 2D visualization of the nonlinear acoustic propagation of the picosecond acoustic pulse. Many ultrafast pump-probe investigations can profit from this technique because of the wealth of information it provides over a typical single diode and lock-in amplifier setup, for example it can be used to image ultrasonic echoes in biological samples.